Dark Ink and Bright Fire
by motherofflame
Summary: Nyris Targaryen was wed to a cruel lord at the age of 13, but she was also given a dragon egg, and now, 5 years later, Nyris and her dragon have joined the fight against the Adderhead BASED HEAVILY ON DAENERYS TARGARYEN STORY. RAPE/ IMPLIED STATUTORY RAPE, GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE, MENTIONS OF SIBLING ABUSE. nudity, non-explicit sex.
1. Chapter 1

Nyris did not like the wedding dress, it pushed her small breasts up uncomfortably, and it was to sheer for her liking. Only 13, she was not ready for what was going to happen, but her elder sister by 7 years had insisted, with her fists… Vyria had always been cruel, and so Nyris had remained unsurprised by the beatings and threats. It wasn't fair! If Vyria wanted the wedding so badly, why didn't she marry the lord? She looked into the polished metal at her reflection, her lilac eyes betrayed her, showed her fear. At least she had the Targaryen eyes. Her sister often cursed the fact that she did not have the silver-blond hair, instead she had a deep mahogany color to her hair, which, Nyris really saw no problem with. Her sister appeared behind her, grabbed her arm painfully, and dragged her outside. She saw the row of Knights bearing the Lord's sigil, a dog of some sort. Nyris could not tell. She only knew that she was scared as she approached the man that she would wed.


	2. The Cold Beauty

"My Lady." A soldier approached. Nyris Targaryen did not take her eyes of her dragon. The beast growled softly. Nyris reached out a gloved hand, gently hushing the dragon, her cloak, made of silver fabric, with shoulders of silver fox fur, fluttered in the chilly breeze

"He's beautiful isn't he?" She said, as if talking about her child.

"He is, my Lady" The soldier agreed. She turned to look at him with those lilac eyes. The man remembered how timid she had been on her wedding day. It had been a happy day for all of them when she had taken over the the castle, when Tyro had been killed by Nightfyre, when she was just 14. Now, at 18, she was well known in Argenta for her beauty, and her coldness, and of course her dragon. Blue-and-Gold, Nightfyre was as beautiful as he was terrifying, and fiercely loyal and protective towards Nyris. Tyro had been cruel, tyrannical. Nyris was kind, if a little cold at times.

"A raven arrived with this for you." Nyris took the message, absently stroking Nightfyre with one hand. She looked up.

"Gather the men. We ride for Ombra." She commanded.

Violante looked unhappily at her father and his men. A loud screech echoed overhead, and murmurs of awe filled the courtyard. Nightfyre landed with an ear-splitting roar. Nyris Targaryen "The Cold Beauty" a girl of eighteen, gracefully dismounted her dragon. Nightfyre was dangerously beautiful, and Nyris herself did not pale in comparison, with her fair skin, lilac eyes, and auburn hair, her body lithe and graceful. The girl was dressed in simple grey leggings and a long tunic, with it she wore a cloak of silver fabric, with shoulders covered in the fur of a silver fox, it fluttered in the wind. Violante smiled at her ally, Nyris dipped her head.

"Your Grace." She said in her silky voice. Violante revelled in the stunned look on her father's face, she noticed that Firefox looked wary, and that the Piper looked curious. With a hiss, Nightfyre settled into a crouch.

Violante looked up at her father, who had come to treat with her. "Shall we begin?"

The Piper rode next to the fuming Adderhead. The man was enraged by the turn of events, Violante had proved herself tougher than expected, and the Dragon-Rider… The Piper would admit it, the tales of her beauty were not exaggerated. '_She is no ordinary girl_,' The Piper mused. '_Not only does she ride a dragon, and wear the name Targaryen, but she is the widow of Tyro Hannis.' _The Adderhead reigned in his horse outside of a pub, the Piper knew that this was where they would spend the night.

"Nyris, thank you so much for coming." Violante embraced her friend.

"Oh, you know damn well I enjoyed it." Nyris chuckled.

"I suppose."

"Are you doing alright?" Nyris asked softly. "Ruling without Cosimo?" Violante nodded, then she smiled.

"And how are you doing, without Tyro?"

Nyris laughed. "A pity the bastard didn't die sooner." She said. "I have Nightfyre to thank for his death."

"It is a good story." Violante mused. Nyris nodded. Violante sighed. "I fear a war is coming."

"You know that you have my vassals." Nyris said immediately. Violante smiled gratefully.

"If it does come to war, and we win, Argenta will need a ruler I can trust, won't it, Queen Nyris." Nyris looked stunned.

"You want me to rule Argenta?"

"Why not, you have an army, a family name, a dragon, and you are well-loved by the your vassals. You rule well in your husband's stead."

"Don't you want Argenta?"

"I have no wish to rule both Kingdoms, will you rule as my ally?"

"I will."

"We must attack immediately!" The Adderhead shouted. "We have more men than my stupid bitch of a daughter."

"Your daughter is backed by Nyris Targaryen and her vassals."

"We still have more men than Violante even with the Targaryen whelp's backing!"

"Nyris has a _dragon_, Your Grace." Firefox pointed out, voice hoarse with worry. "Suppose she chooses to fly him into battle?" The Adderhead was silent for a long time. Finally he spoke.

"Is there not a ballista in the armory?"

"Yes, Your Grace." The weapons master confirmed.

"There, you have your answer. Kill the dragon."


	3. The Dragon's Dance

The Piper carefully frayed the ballista's drawstring to the point that it would break should it be pulled taught. He had grown to hate the Adderhead in recent months, his loyalty to the man had begun to falter due to the increase in cruelty directed at him, from the Adderhead. Nyris was rumored to be cold, but never had anyone said she was cruel, and so far, the rumors about her had held up, her beauty did not disappoint. The Piper smiled to himself. If the Adderhead wanted to treat him like a beaten dog, he'd serve another leader.

Firefox watched the soldiers as they moved out, his horse shifted with a snort. Moving the troops out seemed to be a hasty decision on the Adderhead's part. Four workhorses drew out the ballista. Firefox did not want to be the poor bastard firing at the dragon, bolts could miss, especially if the target maneuvered out of the way, or even worse, it may find it's mark, but not do anything more to annoy the dragon. Bolts could miss, dragons seldom did. And the last thing Firefox wanted to bring down on himself was the wrath of a fire-breathing dragon. Firefox urged his horse into a canter, still worrying about ballista.

Nyris watched Violante pace.

"We knew this was coming." Nyris tried.

"When we spoke yesterday, I didn't think war was coming today!" Violante fretted.

"We'll be ready."

"They have more men."

"We have Nightfyre, and the loyalty of our people."

"They'll attack the city."

"So bar the gates, we won't let them breach it."

"You want to use Nightfyre." It was not a question.

"Maybe a taste of dragonflame will discourage further attacks on Ombra." Nyris suggested. Violante nodded.

"It might just… most soldiers don't enjoy battling when a dragon is involved, they'll like it even less when they see what he can do."

Nyris nodded.

"We best prepare." She suggested.

Meggie watched as the gates of the palace clanged shut.

"What do you suppose is happening?" She whispered to Farid.

"A siege." He replied matter-of-factly. Meggie gaped as the dragon flew past, she had only seen him in the distance, he was so beautiful, with his blue and cold coloring. A striking young woman rode on his back, dressed in silvery-white armor. The dragon roared, wheeling around. Farid was slack-jawed and Meggie giggled. The dragon lighted on the wall surrounding the castle, and his molten gold eyes glowed with anticipation. Meggie saw the first line of the Adderhead's soldiers charge out of the forest.

"Archers!" The dragonrider barked. "Fire!" A hail of arrows rained down onto the approaching soldiers, but Meggie's attention was fixed on the dragon. With a howling roar that would have sent any other creature fleeing for it's life, the dragon leapt off the wall, and swept over the battlefield. Meggie did not catch the rider's command, but the dragon unleashed a torrent of fire from his glowing maw. Beside her, Farid gasped in shock.

"Do you see that Meggie." He asked excitedly.

"I see it." Meggie said, equally awestruck.

Nyris glanced over Nightfyre's shoulder, looking at the damage her dragon had done. She brought him around again, and this time he made a longer pass, fire engulfing a line of catapults. She wheeled Nightfyre, flying him higher, giving the archers a clear shot. Nyris took him into the low clouds.

Firefox had lost sight of the dragon, the beast had flown into the cloud bank, and completely disappeared. This scared him even more than when he could see it. Then it appeared, hurtling out of the clouds, screeching in fury and aggression. Firefox watched as several horses bolted in terror. The dragon pulled up, blasting another river of flame into their ranks. Firefox cursed, there was no way that they could take Ombra, not with the dragon flying around. A soldier loaded a bolt into the ballista, drew the bowstring… The bowstring snapped with a whistling noise, the dragon swung his head around, growling. Firefox wheeled his horse away, glancing back in time to see the ballista being engulfed in a cloud of flame.

"Fall back!" Firefox shouted. Several soldiers echoed his command, and fled back into the forest. To his relief, the dragon did not follow, he simply turned back towards Ombra, roaring in triumph.

They were cheering. The smallfolk of Ombra were cheering and waving as she flew past. Nyris smiled, and waved back. The guards opened the gates to the castle again. Nightfyre landed gracefully, and crouched, letting Nyris slide off his shoulder. Violante was smiling.

"We won." She said ecstatically. "We won our first battle." Nyris smiled in return, seeing no need to remind Violante that there were more battles to come. The war had just begun.


	4. Memories

"You _retreated?!_" The Adderhead bellowed, so loudly that Firefox cringed. "You lost to the Targaryen? The _girl?_"

"H-her _dragon_ Your Grace, he was like nothing I've seen before, we had no chance against him." Firefox stammered hoarsely.

"You had the ballista."

"The dragon destroyed it."

"That girl has never been in battle!" The Adderhead roared. "She has never lead her troops to war, she has no experience! And she defeated you?!" The Adderhead's nostrils flared, the rubies embedded in the flesh looked like blood. "I clearly need a new herald… a new commander, since you can't handle a girl who had never before commanded an army! You know what this failure is punishable by." Firefox went cold with fear. A soldier drew a sword, and Firefox turned and ran. He leapt astride the nearest horse he saw, and raced out of the courtyard at a full gallop. He didn't think about where he was going, he just knew he was running.

Nyris dreamed of her wedding night.

She saw her own reflection in the mirror, the reflection of a child, a frightened child. She was trembling as her new husband began to unlace her dress.

"P-please." She stuttered out. "I-I d-don't-"

"Silence!" Tyro spat at her. Nyris flinched. Tears slipped down her face, her breath quaked as the man she had been wed to bent her over the end of the bed, and forced her legs apart. Nyris woke in a cold sweat. The pale light of dawn streamed through her window, and Nyris sat up in the bed. She stood, and walked over to the window. Nyris dressed quickly, donning her riding pants, tunic, and cloak. The fear from the dream still clung to her. She shook herself. She was the one still living, and she had become braver, hadn't she? She had gone from pleading with Tyro to cursing him, though she still wept when he took her. The last night had been the worst, even worse than their wedding night. From the courtyard, the sound of Nightfyre sharp growl pierced her thoughts. Nyris strode down the stairs, out into the courtyard. Nightfyre was still snarling, his eyes fixed on a lone figure. Nyris stood next to her dragon, one hand resting on his neck. Nyris felt like growling herself when she recognized the figure as Firefox, he looked drawn, and his pale face sharply contrasted his red hair. He slid down off of his horse, which looked even more exhausted.

"You're at the _wrong_ castle." She hissed.

"Forgive me, Lady Nyris."

"Why are you here?" Nyris demanded.

"I've left the Adderhead, he… wanted to execute me." Nyris raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were his favorite attack dog." She said coldly.

"Not after yesterday."

"Why?"

"You decimated us." Firefox eyed the dragon worriedly.

"He thinks you should pay with your life?"

"Yes."

"Why come to me?" Nyris asked, curious now.

"Because…" Firefox trailed off.

"You want me to protect you?" Nyris realized with a laugh.

"I want to join you." Firefox whispered, staring at the ground. Nyris looked at Nightfyre uncertainly, but the dragon had lost interest in Firefox, and returned to the pair of oxen that had been slaughtered for him.

"Step forward." Nyris commanded. Firefox obeyed. Nyris studied him. "Do you promise to fight by my side? To fight when I ask it of you? Are you with me? Now and always?" Firefox knelt.

"I promise, my Queen." Nyris smiled.

"You'll need new armor." She remarked. Firefox nodded. "Come." Nyris said, taking Firefox with her to explain to Violante.

Violante believed Firefox, it sounded exactly like something her father would do. Violante had learned to rule very quickly since her husband died a year prior. Now, at nineteen, she was the real ruler of Lombrica, now that the Laughing Prince had passed away. Violante sighed. Nyris had been even younger when she was married to Tyro, only 13, a widow at 14. Cosimo had never hurt Violante, he had been kind. But Violante had seen the scars on Nyris' back from Tyro whipping her, and wondered how she had coped with the abuse. Not wanting to think about it, she shook the thoughts from her mind.

The Piper cantered into the Palace courtyard.

"Well well." Said a male voice. Two mounted guards blocked the exit, while two more stood in front of him. Piper noticed that the men sported the Targaryen emblem on their armor. These were Nyris' men.

"I wish to speak to Lady Nyris." The Piper said coldly.

"What business do you have with our Queen?"

"Your Queen?" The Piper paused. "I was unaware she was a Queen."

"She is now."

"Very well I wish to speak to your Queen." The soldiers shrugged.

"This way."

The Piper dismounted, and one guard led his horse away.

"What is she the Queen of?" The soldiers smirked.

"Dragons, and soon of Argenta." The Piper smiled to himself. He could help her take Argenta.

"Queen Nyris." The soldiers bowed. "This man wishes to speak to you."

Nyris' lilac eyes were wary, she nodded. "Very well." She approached him.

The Piper knelt.

"What do you want?" Nyris asked.

"To pledge my allegiance to you." Nyris raised an eyebrow.

"This way." she said, striding out into the courtyard.

Her dragon raised his head with a hiss.

"Dragon's have a way of knowing." Nyris said coldly. "If he thinks you truthful, so will I." The dragon sniffed at him, then turned away. Nyris' face was impassive.

"Very well." The Queen said. "I accept your allegiance."

Nyris watched her dragon as he flew around the castle. She thought back to the night he'd killed Tyro…

"_Stop it!" Nyris had screamed. Tyro had paid her no mind, just continued. It had been even worse than their wedding night. "Stop it! You're hurting me!" And then Nightfyre, her precious dragon, no bigger than a dog, had screamed in fury, and collided with Tyro. He had screamed._

"_Nightfyre!" Nyris had screamed, terrified for her dragon. He had chirped in answer, and flapped up onto the bed next to her. Blood dripped from his jaws. She dressed, called the guards, and then she looked upon her dead "Husband". His face was frozen in a scream, his glassy eyes wide, his chest was a bloody wound, and a gaping hole where his throat should have been. _

"_What do you want us to do, my lady?" The guards had asked her._

"_Take him into the forest, let him rot there." Nyris had said, still in pain from his abuse._


	5. The Beauty and The Dragon

"Look at that creature! Absolutely magnificent!" Fenoglio exclaimed as the dragon flew overhead. Meggie watched as he circled the castle, his golden wings flashing in the sunlight.

"You missed the battle." Fenoglio looked at her.

"I'm very upset about that too, I so want to see the dragon in action."

"It was a short battle." Meggie offered.

"I imagine so, with that beautiful creature involved."

Violante's guards greeted them, and guided them into the courtyard. Violante was standing on the steps.

"Ah, Fenoglio." The young woman said, wearing the hint of a smile. "May I introduce my dear friend and ally, Queen Nyris Targaryen."

'Queen?' Meggie wondered as Fenoglio bowed. Meggie settled on a awkward curtsy. She could not help but think that this was indeed what a Queen should look like. Nyris' shoulderless dress was an icy pale blue, and it cascaded down her slender body like a silken waterfall, a long cape was attached at the ribs, and it flowed out behind her in a regal manner. A necklace in the likeness of a snarling dragon was curled around her neck, the silver shining against her fair skin. Thick reddish-brown hair hung in a loose braid down her back, and most surprising of all, were her light purple eyes. Nyris dipped her head in greeting. Meggie tried not to gape as the dragon landed next to his rider. Nyris raised her hand, resting it on his snout.

"Hello darling." She cooed affectionately. The dragon gave an equally affectionate chirp. The girl, she really was only a girl, looked back at Fenoglio and Meggie.

"Do not be afraid, he will not harm you." She said quietly.

"Forgive me, Your Grace," Fenoglio began. "I do not know your kingdom."

Violante laughed. "Argenta will be hers, Fenoglio."

Nyris smiled. "So, you see, technically not Queen of a Kingdom yet."

"Queen of Dragons." Violante said. "It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"It does indeed." Fenoglio agreed. Meggie could not take her eyes off the dragon. Nyris noticed her gaze.

"Would you like to meet him?" She asked. Meggie nodded, suddenly shy as she approached the Queen and her dragon.

"Go ahead and pat him, if you wish." Meggie carefully placed her hand against the dragon's warm snout. His scales were smoother than she would have expected, she looked up at him, and saw herself in his great golden eyes. She smiled.

"He's beautiful." Meggie whispered.

"He is." Nyris agreed.

"How did you get him?"

"His egg was a gift, on my wedding night, my only gift." She smiled fondly. "He hatched."

"You're married?" Meggie asked, surprised.

"Not anymore, my husband died."

"Oh, I'm very sorry." Meggie offered.

"I'm not."

"You're not?" Meggie frowned, puzzled.

"My late husband was very cruel and abusive with me, I was forced to marry him. He was hurting me when Nightfyre attacked and killed him."

"But you can't be older than 20." Meggie blurted. Nyris tilted her head, a smile playing across her lips.

"I'm 18."

"But then you must have been…"

"Thirteen." Nyris finished for her. "I was thirteen, widowed at fourteen."

"A pity not sooner." Meggie said, thinking of how awful it must have been for Nyris.

"A pity indeed." Nyris laughed.

"Who forced you to marry him?" Meggie said, unable to contain her curiosity. Nyris did not seem to mind.

"My older sister. Vyria is seven years older than me, and she was just as cruel as my husband."

"I'm sorry." Meggie thought of how heartbreaking it would be for a sister to betray you that way.

"Thank you."

Nyris looked up as a soldier burst through the gates.

"The Adderhead! The man gasped. "He's taken an entire camp prisoner."

"What kind of camp?" Violante asked.

"A healing camp." Nyris felt hot anger building up in her chest.

"A healing camp?" She repeated, voice tight with controlled anger. "Women? Children? Elders? Wounded?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The man gasped. Nyris turned and stormed inside, quickly dressing into her riding clothes.

"Nyris? Are you going to help?" Violante asked.

"Yes." Nyris replied as she climbed astride Nighfyre. Her dragon hissed with determination. "Firefox! Piper" She called. Both men came at once.

"Follow my dragon, prove I can trust you." She said coolly.

"Of course, my Queen."

"Mount up."

"Yes, your Majesty."

Nyris watched as half of her men rode out the gate. Nightfyre roared and surged into the air, Nyris held his spines firmly. She was still furious, what kind of monster imprisoned children?

Resa looked up as a half-hundred mounted men entered the clearing, when she saw Firefox, and the Piper, all she could think was that the Adderhead had, for some reason, sent reinforcements. Until Firefox ran his sword through the soldier restraining her. A deafening roar blasted through the clearing, Resa flinched and covered her ears, all the fighting stopped. The Adderhead's soldiers went into a full on panic.

"It's the dragon!" Someone cried. Resa's jaw dropped when she saw that it was indeed a dragon. The great beast landed, and Resa saw the figure on his back. Flames danced across the dragon's teeth as he snarled. The girl on his back spoke in a clear, commanding voice.

"I will give you this one chance, to surrender to me, and no one else has to die." She said. No one moved, the dragon roared again, and nearly all of the soldiers dropped their weapons.

The young woman dismounted her dragon. Her lilac eyes swept over the prisoners.

"He will not harm you." She assured. "You are safe now." She spoke in a soothing tone.

"Take the carts, I'm sure these people are tired, let them ride in the wagons.'

"Yes, Queen Nyris." One of the soldiers said. Resa stared, She had only heard rumors of Nyris 'The Cold Beauty' Targaryen. Nyris stroked her dragon's snout. The young woman smiled at the children.

"Would you like to meet a dragon?" She asked them. Resa thought in that moment that Nyris had the kindest eyes of anyone she'd ever seen. The children giggled as the dragon purred at them, his golden eyes were as calm as still water.

Dustfinger watched as Firefox and the Piper rode side-by-side, not even glancing up when the dragon glided overhead. People watched in clear awe as the dragon flew straight into the palace courtyard. He wondered how close his daughter had been to that dragon.

The Black Prince had just entered the courtyard when Nightfyre landed. When had he gotten so big? Nyris looked at the Prince, her eyes were happy. She swiftly dismounted her dragon. She jogged across the courtyard, embracing him fiercely. He returned the embrace just as vigorously.

"It's been to long." Nyris whispered.

"I know." The Prince whispered back. It truly had been to long, 3 years since he'd last seen her. "I thought you were the Cold Beauty." He joked. "You don't act very cold."

"Not with my dearest friends." She said affectionately.

"Glad to know I'm on the 'dearest friends' list." He said sincerely.

Nyris pulled back. "Hello Bear." She said fondly. The bear rumbled at her.


End file.
